Nasri Nesnas has been awarded a $411,000 grant from the NIH to further his research in developing molecules that use light to activate brain circuits. These findings could provide crucial insight to possible causes and treatment of brain diseases like autism, Alzheimer’s, epilepsy, and depression.

These molecules can provide information on pathways between specific neurons and behavior. “Given that one human brain has billions of neurons and interconnections, our molecules provide clues on the connectivity of this vast, complex network,” Nesnas said. Nesnas’s approach allows for molecules to remain inactive until a selected portion of brain is turned on using light.